Issues with broken or bent pins and missing mem-B channel.
Issues with broken or bent pins and missing mem-B channel.
I was able to get a 5950X for very cheap due to 2 broken pins. From what i've checked with the pinout diagram, the 2 broken pins are the AZ_RST_L, which is related to Audio, so not really needed in my case, the other one is VSS, which wouldn't cause these issues, since there's 1 missing out of like a few hundred. But only the first 2 ram slots are working, the last 2 are not, last 2 being mem-B channel. But nothing on the CPU itself indicates that the B-channel wouldn't work. Corners aren't damaged and only those 2 pins are broken off, others were bent, but i straightened them back and are solid, not loose. The CPU itself works fine with only the first 2 slots occupied, ran memtest and prime95 (8hrs long), no issues. Tried the CPU on 2 boards, an X370 MSi board with 4 ram slots, which would beep if i tried to use the B channel and an Asus B450 dual ram slot board that would post with 2 ram sticks in, but only see the first one. Haven't tried it on a 500 series board yet, don't have one on hand atm. Would i see a significant performance loss if i didn't use dual-channel? I saw a video that used double-sided ram sticks for single channel and it compared quite well to dual channel in terms of performance. But i'd still want to try to get the B channel to work. Any recommendations on what to try?
Are you certain about the setup? Comparing dual rank rams in single channel versus dual channels feels different. Have you tested powering on without a cooler connected to the CPU? Which type of cooler are you using?
There are methods to reattach missing pins from a donor CPU. A quality soldering iron is essential, and ideally a microscope would help. Consistent hand movements are important. NorthridgeFix handles it well. Jayztwocents attempted it, required significant practice, but had poor tools. Linus also managed it successfully, making it feasible.
There are variations definitely, though some are minor. I tested both with and without a cooler, getting the same outcome. I aligned the pins carefully, still achieving the same result. Used the Prism cooler (fixed to the motherboard, not just placed on top of the CPU), but one side had the entire pad torn off—this isn’t repairable. The audio cooler can be adjusted, but it’s not linked to the B channel or any other connection.